I was curious to know more about this man who could rock my world with a look, and set off explosions throughout my body with a single touch. I hoped that he would open himself up to me. Show me more of the man he really is when not performing, but was I willing to do the same for him?
“You know you’re always welcome here dad. This place is as much yours as mine. I’m glad you’re going to be staying for a while. We’ve got to run out shortly though. Got a big day ahead and we still have to talk to the cops.”
“Yes, let me know later what they said. If they have a lead on this sicko or better yet, caught him so folks can sleep better.”
“I’m not going to argue there. I hope they have some good news for us,” I replied. “Speaking of which.” I got up and gathered up my plate and Pike’s. I noticed Pike’s bodyguards weren’t around, but I’d caught a glimpse of one of them earlier as I was headed for the kitchen. “Since you cooked, I’ll clean up.”
“Oh, no,” John J said as he stood and grabbed his plate before I could. “Nope. Just place those in the sink and I’ll get this and you two go on and get out of here. I’ll hit the water later. See if I can catch anything. It’s probably too late in the day but you never know. I might get lucky.” He winked. “It’s been known to happen and Pike here can cook it up for dinner.”
I laughed and placed the dishes in the sink. “Sounds good.”
“In that case, you ready?” Pike asked me.
I nodded. “Yep. I’ve got a locksmith coming over to my condo in about an hour, so I should be able to get in there and get out of your hair.”
Pike shook his head. “Never out of my hair. But we’ll go to your condo and meet him first. You can pack a bag then we can head over to the detective’s office to find out if he’s got anything new to tell us.”
“Wait! What? I wasn’t planning on coming back here tonight, Pike. I’m sure I’ll be fine in my condo. The entrance doors are locked and there’s concierge service, twenty-four hours.”
John J spoke up, “I think Pike might be right Eryn. It’s not safe or smart for you to be alone right now. And you strike me as a smart lady. If you were the target, as soon as whoever did this knows they missed, no telling if they’d try again or when.”
“Exactly,” Pike agreed.
I frowned. Not liking the thought of that at all. “Let’s go talk to the cops and then take it from there. And okay, I’ll pack an overnight bag just in case, but I do need to try to get some work done this evening. For that, I’m going to need some privacy. My cousins as well as my partners have been trying to reach me. I managed to talk to them earlier briefly, as well as a couple of associates, they’re taking care of any pressing matters today from home. No one’s going to be allowed back onto our floor space until the police clear it. Hopefully, sooner rather than later. I spoke to Babs’ husband. He’s not doing too well and wanted me to wait until tomorrow to come by.”
“Okay, that’s fine,” Pike said. “After we’re done with the cops, I need to get over to the studio. There’s an office in there you can use, so you’ll have peace and quiet.”
“That’ll work.”
Pike took my hand as he waved to his father with the other one. “Later, Dad.”
“Take care of yourself, son and Eryn. Take care of each other.”
“No worries, John J,” I said, turning I followed after Pike to the helicopter pad.
Later on, I didn’t like anything coming out of Detective Simons mouth.
“What the fuck!” Was Pike’s comments to most of it.
Mine too, I just didn’t voice them quite that way. “So in other words, you got nothing out of the ambassador?” I asked.
Simons sighed. “They’re hiding behind diplomatic immunity for the most part. Oh, on the surface, they appear to be cooperating. At first, they refused to allow us to question Aru’s sister or even the ambassador. His aide who spoke to us said he was too busy at the moment, but I set up an appointment.”
“That’s the ambassador’s sister-in-law, right?” I asked.
“Yes. Serrita Bose was Aru’s sister and she was with her the night of the robbery. When the police first questioned her on the scene, she claimed not to have seen the assailant. That when the first shots went out, the clerk grabbed her and they both fell to the ground. By the time they stood up, the guy was gone and Aru was dead. The funny thing though is that only a tray of cheaper jewelry near Aru was taken. Like the guy grabbed it as an after thought. I watched the video. It looked like a damn assassination to me. The guy came in there, only had eyes on the victim, and deliberately aimed that gun at Aru. Firing two shots just as she turned toward him.”
“Did you tell the ambassador’s aid that?” Pike asked.
“I did, he claimed that’s not the way he understood it and the ambassador’s wife didn’t see anything. The video does confirm that. But I also had a chance to look again at the video you’d taken of the man trying to shove Aru in a car, as well as the footage from the robbery and the security cameras in your building. The funny thing is it looks like the guy trying to shove Aru in the car and the one doing the robbery were the same. I showed pictures of the man to the aide. He said he looked familiar, but he knows at least a hundred people who look like that. Full beards, long hair. The guy from your office building however, his hair wasn’t as long nor his beard a full one. He had more of a goatee, but with the height and the mannerisms, my gut tells me, they’re all one in the same.”
“So, what the hell is going on?” I asked. “How is the man connected to Aru?”
“No one at the embassy would talk to us. I got a call from my police chief telling me to stop harassing the ambassador and his family during such a trying time.”
“What the hell does that mean?” Pike asked.
“It means I will keep that appointment this evening but tread very carefully. But what I can do is try to find out who the guy is on the videos. If he’s a member of the diplomatic staff he’s documented. I’m having someone go through those files now, as well as the state department. We found three possibilities and are tracking them down. Two as far as we know are currently housed in the embassy, it’s listed as their primary residence, which means I can’t go in there and talk to them or try to bring them in. One lives here in the District and I have a couple of unmarked cars watching his place.”
“Those two in the embassy have to leave sometime,” Pike said. “Are you watching there too?”
“I most certainly am. Listen…some thing strange is going on and I believe it has to do with you seeing that guy with Aru a few days ago. I can’t ignore that.”
“Begs the question,” I said. “Why kill Aru? Who was the guy to her? Husband? Boyfriend?”
“If he were, it might explain a lot, maybe this is just a case of domestic abuse and she was trying to get away from a crazy husband. But the records show that Aru Narine was not married. She’d only been in the country for four days before you saw her.”
“Still, I’m pretty sure she knew the guy who’d been manhandling her. This was no stranger trying to cart her off but someone she knew, maybe an ex-lover and she was trying to get away from him,” I said.
“That’s what we’re trying to find out,” Simons said. “Thank you both for coming in and filling in some of the blanks for us. Ms. Gunn you should be able to return to your office building tomorrow, but your office and the areas on either side as well as directly above and below, you won’t be able to occupy those until they’ve been repaired. It’s a good thing your office was off to the side, otherwise the damage could’ve been a lot more intense. Whoever planted that bomb knew exactly what he was doing. Going after minimal impact. It could’ve been a lot worse.”
“For whatever that’s worth, but still didn’t help Babs.”
“I’m sorry about your assistant.” Simons stood indicating our meeting was over. “I’ll keep you all posted if I get any more answers, but I’d still recommend that you both watch yourselves. By now, whoever
set that bomb knows you’re still alive Ms. Gunn, he might well blame you for Aru escaping him. If he came after you once he could again, and perhaps you too Mr. Pike, but I think his fixation is on Eryn.”
We both stood up. “Thank you detective,” I said, but not feeling as calm as I projected. Knowing someone tried to kill me once was bad enough, but that he might try again sent chills throughout my system.
We shook Simons hand and then left the building. Pike’s limo was right in front. As soon as we stepped through the doors, one of his guards, Tank, got out of the passenger side and opened the door for us. He had his hand on the edge of his jacket, I’m sure near the gun I could see outlined there, his head was moving. I’m sure he was scanning the people near us as well as the area around us. We headed straight for the car. Pike letting me get in first then he followed behind me. Tank shut the door and got in.
I sank back against the leather. For the first time maybe truly understanding that this was some seriously fucked up shit going on in my life. Pike placed his arm around me and pulled me into his side. I put my head on his shoulder. He was the only thing that seemed to make sense in this screwed up life…I suddenly led. A crazy man trying to kill me, one who hid behind the shield of diplomatic immunity. Time to call my uncle.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Pike
I sat in the recording booth and even I knew I was a little off. My voice was fine but the words, the emotion behind them, just weren’t getting through. For the first time in my life, my music was failing me. “Fuck!”
“Let’s take five,” Sol said. His voice coming through my mic.
I nodded. I knew it would take more than five. My mind was too fractured, still going over everything that we’d learned in the detective’s office. But I needed to make my way through this. I had too many people depending on me. The new tour kicked off in a month, right here in DC. The first single had to be ready by then. I finger combed my high top and glanced into the control room. Sol sat there as well as Paul and Emily. I took a deep breath and walked out of the booth.
“Whadda ya need, Pike?” Paul asked.
“I’ll be right back.” I moved past all of them. I knew their eyes tracked me. I stopped in front of the fridge and grabbed two bottles of sparkling water. After closing the door, I didn’t turn around but kept walking. I moved down the hall toward the conference room. Eryn.
Ever since we got here, I’d left her in that room with her laptop, for her to do her work. Take care of her business. That was over an hour ago. I hoped she would be ready for a break. I needed it. I don’t know what the fuck I really needed, except for this shit to be behind me and some crazy asshole behind bars. I knocked on the door but didn’t wait for a response. I pushed it open.
She sat leaning back in the chair with her feet propped up on the edge of the desk, the laptop on her lap. She had these slim glasses perched on her nose.
Sexy as fuck.
“I didn’t know you wore glasses?”
“Sometimes, usually when I’m working on my laptop.”
“Can you wear them when we fuck? Fulfill one of my fantasies.”
She grinned. “What fantasy would that be?”
I moved across the room and placed the bottles down on the desk, taking the laptop away from her I put that on the desk too. “Stand up.” When she did, I sat down and patted my lap. I chuckled when she folded her arms across her chest pumping up those globes and making me hard. I took both of her hands and gave a little tug, until she was right where I needed her. Her ass on my hard cock. “Better,” I said. “My fantasy is to fuck my hot young lawyer.”
“Well, what if mine were to fuck rock’s bad boy?”
“That can be arranged.”
She moved her hands out of mine and wound it around my neck. I placed my hands high on her waist, using my thumbs to rub under her breasts. I lowered my head and kissed her ear, then the side of her cheek, her eye, her nose. Taking my time, feeling her, enjoying her in my arms. Making us both wait before I did what we both needed. I placed my mouth over hers and inhaled her. Opening her mouth wider, she gave me her air and I gave her mine in return. I’m not sure how long that went on, us breathing for each other, or how much longer it would have gone on if the pounding on the door hadn’t interrupted us.
I pulled my mouth reluctantly off her and rested my forehead against hers. “What?” I yelled.
“We’re burning time,” Sol reminded me.
“Yeah. Be right there.”
“Go sing. Make music,” Eryn urged.
I smiled looking down at her. “You are beautiful. Do you know that?”
“I might have been told that a time or two.”
“What? Who’s the fucker? I’ll kick his ass.”
She laughed. “Oh, no you don’t.” She got off my lap, I grabbed her hand and tried to tug her back to me but this time, she pulled back, shaking her head. “You have work to do and so do I. Go. Go sing.”
I stood, still holding her hand. “Is that a request?”
“A fucking demand.”
“Damn girl. I like you. Best thing I ever did was to make you my lawyer. I take it back, that’s the second best thing.”
“What’s the first?”
I grinned knowing she would take the bait. “Taking you to my bed and I’m doing it again tonight.” I leaned forward and kissed her quickly. “I’ve still got another couple of hours then we can eat if you want before going home.”
“What about your dad?”
I frowned. “What about him?”
“I thought he went fishing and was planning on you making dinner tonight.”
I smiled. “Yeah, that’s right, I forgot. Okay, I’ll call him and see if that’s still his plan, if he caught anything. If not, we can get something to take back.”
“Sounds good.”
“What about you? Doing okay in here? Getting anything done?”
“Yes. These days, all I really need is Wi-Fi, my phone and a computer to get what I need done. Good thing too. I had a contractor go out and look at the damage done to my office. It’ll be about a week before I’ll be able to get back in there. But the other offices they can have finished in a couple of days. And the firm will be able to reopen again day after tomorrow, but since that’s Friday, we’ll keep it closed until Monday. Make sure it’s cleaned up as much as possible.”
“Yeah. Good plan.”
She moved out of my embrace and over to the door, opening it she waved her hand at the empty hallway. “Now, go on do your thing. I just have a few more things to do then I’ll come out and listen to you, if you’re still not done. And thank you for the water but I don’t need both bottles.”
I grabbed one of the bottles I’d brought in with me, leaned down and kissed her again on my way out. “Okay.”
“About time,” Sol said as soon as I got back in the booth.
“Cue up number 3,” I told Paul. This time when I began to sing I knew even before I opened my eyes and looked toward the control console, I’d hit it perfectly. I’d been drawing from the feeling I got from being around Eryn. Yeah, my muse. Holy fuck! She really was and I was so screwed cause I couldn’t keep her. Sooner or later, human nature says I would do something to wreck us. But damned, if I wasn’t going to try not to.
We finished laying the rest of the tracks then got in two more hours of rehearsal for the upcoming concert. Eryn came out for the last few songs and sat next to Sol. As good as I knew we sounded, as soon as she entered the room everything changed. The atmosphere changed. I sang for her and her alone.
When we were done, even Sol came up to me and slapped a high five. “Fucking killed it!” he exclaimed.
“You were—wow. I cannot wait to see you perform this in concert,” Eryn said.
I leaned forward, sweat and all, and pulled her to me. “Thanks, baby, that one was for you.” Then I kissed her right then and there for all to see. Yeah, it was like that between us, but she was not like any of the others and everyone i
n the room knew that too. Fan girls, groupies were for clubs, after shows backstage yes. During studio time. No. I stepped aside and gazed into her shining eyes. “You ready to go?” I asked.
“Ah, Eryn can you give us a minute?” Sol interrupted. “I need to go over a few things with Pike first, before you all can get out of here.”
“Sure.”
“What’s up?” But I suspected I already knew what he was going to say to me. He knew I was attracted to Eryn, and would hit on her, he just didn’t realize it had become more than that. As my little show of possessiveness, a minute ago indicated.
Sol glanced around waiting for the last of the band members to leave the room before turning his attention to me. “I want you to back the fuck off Eryn. She’s not like the others. She’s the kind you give a commitment to, have a real relationship with.”
“Fuck man, don’t you think I know that?”
He jabbed a finger in my direction. “You don’t do those.”
“I might with her. Besides, this is none of your business Sol.”
“It is my business. You and your wellbeing are my business. Eryn is one hell of a lawyer and you won’t be in better hands. But you need to keep it that way, and if you feel you can’t, then I’ll start looking around for a new lawyer. One who’s married or too old for you to fuck with.”
I shook my head. “Nah man, you might be my agent and friend, but you need to step back on this.”
“Eryn is a friend, Pike. She’s one of my god damned fiancée’s best friends, do not screw with her head and treat her like your other bitches.”
I stepped right up in his face. “You did not just call my woman a bitch!”
Something in my expression must have given Sol pause. He backed up a step and apologized. “No man, I’m not calling Eryn that. I have too much respect for her. That’s what I’m trying to tell you, she isn’t like that.”
I sighed. “Look, I know that, all right? She’s different I get that. Maybe it’s why I’m drawn to her. And God’s truth, Sol, it’s too late. I’m not backing off. She would have to send my ass away and I still wouldn’t step back. Frankly, right now with all the shit going on, I am not letting her out of my sight. Some fucker tried to kill her. If I hadn’t talked her into having lunch with me, if we hadn’t been up on that roof…” I raked my hand through my hair.
The Prison Guard's Son: Young Guns Book One Page 12